Tamper mechanism



Feb. 25, 1930. A. J. PENOTE 1,748'655 TAMPER M'EorfANIsM Filed March 12, 1928 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 I HUU5Tu5 I- PENUTE TAMPER MECHANISM Filed March 12. 1928 s sheets-shet .2

,911605705 I PENUTE' Feb. l25, 1930. A. J. PENoTE TAMPER MECHNISM Filed March 12. 1928 3 Sheets-Sheet-- 3 7 40 strai'n'upon the tamper frame.

Patented I Feb. 25, 1930 UNITED sTATs PATEN'rI oFFicE AUGUsa'Us J. PEQTE, or' sHAKER HEIGHTs VILLAGE, oHIo i TMPER Mr:oHArTrsMiv Appncafion med Marchiz, 1928. serial No,` 260318.

i This inventionrelates to tamper mechanism and more especially to actuating mecha- 'I of applying power for lifting the said tamper element alternately, as will be hereinafter explained. It is an object ofmy invention to actuate gripping members at opposite sides or edges of the tamper element by means of rotating shaft'mem'bers in parallelism, andto drive suchV sh'aft membersfrom opposite A 'sidesof the machine.l That ,is to say, one of 's'aidshaft members carryinga gripping member'lthereon will be driven'by a drive element '20 at One end of 'Said Shea, wane the other Stan' -member will be driven from a drive element on the opposite end thereof and on the opposite si-de ofthe machine from that on which the vfirstdrive element is positioned. This V arrangement results in a-dvantageous balancing of power drive on opposite si'desvof the machine and in favorable relief from unbal- 'anced strains upon the tamper frame;

"'It is a `further object of my improved tam- V [v pervactuating mechanism that it makes vfeas- 'w ible ;the use ofchain drive elements for actu- Jatingy the said `sha'ft -members', -providing `a 'chain on either sideof the tamperbar, one chain, vthat actuating the-grlpping member v nearestf the power source,V being relativelyf short, and lthe other chain, actuating the gripperjfarthest from said power source, being longer and travelling Vin f the `opposite direction 'from the Vfirst, therebyalancing the It is a still' further object vof my invention to lrender the actuating means for the two gripper shafts (which always rotate in' opi posite 'directions),f readily adaptableto a i w I and'extends rearwardly from l,the saidmasts varying distanceA between the vtwo igripping members, so that'the latter may be' adjus'ted toward and from each other for delicately en- 'gaging'the heavy tamper barat the mostx'ad- Vvantag ;veons distance 'between :'them, both! for Fadjustrlfiifjiitlto varyingdistance'be'tweenjthem with the tamper raised ;v

to accommodate the change in thickness of the tamper bar dueto wear, and to Variation because of temperature, or other reasons.

It is also a further object of my improvements to provide such gear connections between the tamper grips and the power source w that will make possible'adjustment of bothv sides of the tamper elements when Variation between thel gripper members is essential,

'and to do this'without in any way interfering the drive mechanism w with the eficiency of employed. p

With the above vand other objects in view, my invention consists in the novel features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts to'be hereinafter more fully ldescribed, recited in the appended claims, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which,-V w A Figure *1 'is a plan view of the machine embodying my Vimprovements; w

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the same ,showing the tamper in raised position; V F 10'ure 3 1s a rear elevat1on of themachine Figure 4 is aview ofthe tamper and actuating me'chanism with: related frame parts, shown in Vsection taken in a vplane indicated by the line 4-4 of Figl 3, and i Figure 5 is a detall vlew showing adjusti ment means for the gripper elements.

VReferring to the drawings' in detail, nu- I meral 5 designates a -motor-driven vehicle having a supporting frame 6 comprising the base 7 andv driven by the pair-of traction belts l8. A pairl of inclined masts 9 is mounted `upon 4the base 7 at the rear of the machine, thes'emasts being braced by bars 10. Other uprightV frame parts'll, at the' front end of vthe machine serve'tosupport and brace the engine 12, and gearing connecting the engine shaft ,13 with various partsl of the machine to be actuated vby'this sourceiof power. i

The tamper frame 14 is supported from 9, 'and is braced by lower braee bars 15 and upper, s'ubsta'ntially horizontal bars 16 which said guide, so that the lateral position of' the bar 20 lwill beV Very accurately determined.

The tamper frame is provided with n eans for intermittently raising the tamper bar and releasing` it, and is further provided with a w stationary pair, of pivoted Vpawls, 22mounted on opposite faces of the bar 20 and directed inward toward the bar, the latter being pro- Videdon both faces with cut-out notches 23 with which the pawls 22 may eng'age. The hooked edges 24 of the pawlsare forcedtoward'the bar the action of a coil spring;` tending to rock the pawls on their pivots through the agency of interlockedVarnrmem- .bers 26, oneof .which is actuated by an upwardlyfextending arm 27 havingan apel'- ture in the end by which it is connected with a .Wire orcable .28'eXtending rearwardly for connection with a manuallyloperated l V`29,,pivoted at 30 upon frame .member 31, vopposte end of the lever registering ivi'cl spaced pins 32 upon a suitable support 33, whereby thepawls V22` may be released when desired, to permit the motor actuation the .tamper by other clutch mechansm.

Actuating mechanism foi` intermittently riaising thetamper bar 20 comprises the segmental clutch members 34 mounted on the `shafts 35 which are spaced transverse shafts provided with a'ctuating mechanism to be ex- .plain'ed later in detail. It is to be noted at this -pointthat these shafts 35 are mounted in bearings 36 in Vertical posts 37 of which there are four, Veach pivoted for movement in Ha plane in-.the longitudinal directionof 'the machine, upon a-blocl: 38 mounted upon the frame bar 15 of the forward end of-the mav china These posts 37 are arranged in pairs, `two.eaeh side -of the machine, and-theupper-ends 392of each pair areconnected together by a turn-buclrlef40 and links to'male `.adjustment of the distance between therposts ffeasible, and thereby delicately.settingthe ;distancebetween the 'clutch members 94 as inay-be desired. Opposed-to thezstrain'exerted'bythe turn-,buckles 40, linksfand turnbuck-les 41 `are provided Jbetween,each upper end 39.of each'post 37 ,1 -and a block42 on the 'bar 1 j5 beyond the footfof the post, las is ,clearlylshown Figs.',2 and 4,'-whereby the posts 371 are tightenedrigidly; in'fposition and .zat fthe'; exact angle 'desired 'This arrangefment. of'thepivotedzposts determines the relav ;',tive position of.thezclutchesz34;earried by et 44 at the right hand side of the machine,

the aotuating sprockets being oppositely mounted and driven by sprocket chains 45 and 46, of widely different length, whereby the short Chain 45 may actuate the forward cliitch member 34, while Vthe long ehain 46 may actuate the. corresponding rearward clutch member. This is shown Very clearly Jin -Figz 4 and in Fig. 2. These Chains are ,drifienfrom forward sprockets 47wand 48 on alined drive shafts 49and`50, respectively, which latter'are driVen from a conventional .Cliiferential gearing 51 encased, as shown, and as will be clearlyhnderstood from tle dia- Wgrammaticshovpving in the plan View .of

Evidently, the chain 46 connecting` sproclrets44.and 48 will belonger than the chain V45 connectingsprockets 43 and 47,' the former .driving the rearward clutch member 34 while "thezlatter drives forward clutch 34. For this reason, shaftsV 35l rotate in4 opposite direction,

as do'wialsoshaftsl49'and 50, andV also chains 45 and :46. ,This is essentialin my improved,`

'actuating mechanism to drive 'the `clutch inembers 34 oppositely and thereby raise the tamper bar 20 when the segmental clu'tches V.34 grip the bar between them on the up .stroke, 'butrelease the bar to fallbygravity;

-whileithe segments 34 continue'their rotation vfor `180O out of contact With the-bar, aswill be obv 1ous.

p Heretofore, the practice-of drivng 'the clutch-;hafts by toothed gears. on the common .endrofsaid shafts and on thesame side of the frame has been practically universal.v Power Ahas ,been applied Vto a gear on one lof these shafts,- and;:power` for the. other shaft trans- `mitted by engagement ofigears extending in "i ,acommon Vplane vlongitudinal of 'the frame vand von;the.two shafts.` ,Thismethod of actu- `aton has ,had many disadvantages. First, .the power ;has-been applied to a single'side of the frame which is itself adisadvantaga lIt .willi'beevidentthat the Constant engage- *ment ofthext-amper bar by the driving Vclutclies f34 under great pressure, vcauses a .Constant wearfof-the surfaces ofthe bar which bin a shorttime decreases Vthe thickness there- .Of-tO .Silh' aniextentthatthe grppng .enggev ment' does'not remain positive without suitable adju'stmentV between the segments' It 'has' been VdifficultV` in the past to adjust the shafts 35 toward and from each other While `at thesamel time the Vdriving gears'v above referred to must befco'rrespondingly separated or'moved together. I'haveovercome both of vthese objectionsby a novel arrangementof sprocket chain drive whichl will now be described. f 3,. i'

W The arrangen'ient 'of the longer'sprocket Vchain 46 for driving the rearward `shaft 35 from one end, and the shorter 'chain45 at the opposite side of the frame,'results in a very. advantageous balanced relation in the drivingmechanism, since the drivingpower on either sideisof equalintensity. "These cha-ins 45 and 46 may be adjusted, with one run of each somewhat slack, thereby permitting the shafts carrying the clutch members, to be slightly adjusted toward andlfrom the drive shafts 49 `vand 50, and from each other, the latter adjustment lbeing` of great importance, since this permits adjustment of the clutches 34 toward and from each other, to compensate for any Variation inthe thickness of the tamperbar 20 resulting from any i cause. For this reason, the before described mounting of the posts 37 pivotally upon the frame and bracedV by the turn-buckle elements, is especiallyV provided to delicately adjust the said clutches.v

' While the arrangement of the long 'and short drive chains on opposite sides ofthe tamper frame would permitthe adjust'ment of thev clutch members without furtherz'provision, a very positive and certain adjustment ofthe chain may well be made byV the provision of smallsprockets 52 carried by bearings 53 Von the ends of arms54 which may be pivoted to swing in bearings 55 on the sills 15, preferably between the shafts 49 and 50, and the shaft 35. These sprockets 52 will engage the looser runlof the respective chains. The particular arrangement of the gearing to be used inV the tamping machine which I have employed to illustrate the particular ac-- tuation of the tamper bar, is not especially concerned with the mounting of the machine as a vehicle or the means of driving the machine or steering it. It may be said, however, that the general arrangement of the driving of the vehicle andsteering the-same in thismachine is generically like that disclosed in my Patent No. 1,553,833-issued September 15,'1925, although this patent uses the conventional arrangement of the driving gears forv the clutch shafts on one side ofthe frame and in a common plane, and further details will 'not be referred'to inthis specification. It need only be stated that the shafts 49 and 50 are driven fromfthe' diiferential 51, before 'referred to, receiving itspower from the engine shaft 13v by means of the chain gearing 56.

- While I have'found the means here'shown for adjusting the clutches 34, to be'prac- 'ticable andfefective, I donot desired to be limited 'to this particularmeans ofl adjustment. 'The function which I regard'so high- ;lyl asderived from the varrang'ement of the vsprocket vdrive of the clutch shafts, is .by no means 'dependent `'upon the particular adj ustment disclosed for the shafts 35. Indeed, it vis'not `essential that said shafts with their -clutches`334fshall be' mounted upon pivoted posts. They could as well be carried by 'slidingV blocks mounted upon the ``esills 15 and serve the same purpose, and be used with the same desi'rable'chain drive. Other changes will no doubt 'su'ggest themselves'tofthe user, as valuable accompanying'features'with my novel balanced" chainfi mechanisms for? driv- Ving the 'two clutch; shafts 35 independently. Neither do Ifwish to ;limit myfdrive mechanism for-the tamper to theuse'ofV sprocket *Chains-fon opposite'sides oflthe bar, Obvious-v i 1yf,=both"chains could be drivenand be con-V nected to the separated shafts, and be mounted'on: the-'same side of the tamper bar. This "latter arrang'ement, too, wouldV still permit v/the'adjustment of the clutchV members 34 Whichsuch chainsafford.

'If' do not ,limit my invention in this case Vto avehicular machine.v 'It is evident thatv the 'gear drivefor'thetamper bar is practicable and'fwould be advantageous'if occasion re'- q'uired-itsu'se on a stationary machine. Many "andvariouschanges will be sug'gested in'theV usesof' tamper mech'anism, and in the i' form`,vic'onstructi'on and larrangementv` of parts without departing fromthe spirit and scope of the'invention, or'fsacrificing all of Vits Amaterial advantages','the`fform hereinbefore defscribedzbei'ng merelyU'a Vpr'eferred embodi- 'ment'ther`e('f.f-Z-fj'v 1 1 p "15' Havingzthus described the invention what IcIamas'new and desire to secure by .Letf tersP'atent ofV the United Statesisf'? *ls'A'ta-mper mechanism, comprising a ver- ;tically r'ecproc'able bar',,a pair ofsegmental members Vengaging the opposite faces .of the Hmembers 4enga'gi'ngV the oppos'ite faces 'of the id ,"bar', findependent -transmission' means *for said segmental members arranged at opposlte.

"bar, an indep'endent 'transmission means'for 'i sides' ofthe vertical plane'of the bar, andl a common equalizng driving devicel connected toboth ofthe transmission means for'mainjtaining a 'Constant and equal' driving pressure through the :transmission' means to the `segmental'members. H i, f a 3.1gtamper mechanism, comprising laLvertically reciprocable'bar, 'a pair'of segmental ingpressure upon said segmentalfmembers.

membersfengaging'the opposite faces of'the Chain for each-sprocket Wheel, diferential bar, a sprocket wheel connected to each segmental imember, a Chain for each sprocket wheel, a single equalizing driving means having`` sprocketwheels for engaging said Chains, and means for maintaining the Chains taut at all times for maintaining a Constant and equal driving pressure upon saidsegmental members.

4. A'tamper mechanisrn, 'Comprising a Vertically reciprocable bar, a horizontal frame through which saidbar is adapted to operate, a pair ofsegmental members carried i by the frame and engaging the opposite faces of the bar,'a'transmission means mounted on each -side-of the frame and connected independentlyto said segmental members, and an equalizing driving .means omounted on the frame and connected :to both transmission means for exerting a Constant and equal driv- 5. .Actuatingfmeans 'for a vertically recip- .rocating bar, comprising a horizontal support1ngframe, a palr ofsegmental members mountedinsaid frame .for engaging oppositeifaces ,of said bar forclamping the lat- 'ter .between said members, .a sprocket mounted on each of said segmental members but on the opposite sides of. saidframe,

sprocket Chains.. for drivngV said sprockets in opposite direCtions,-fand equalizing driving means connected toflbothofsaid sprocket Chains for. maintaining a Constant andequal driving. pressure 4'upon said ,segmental .men/1- bers. f

a 7sprocket Wheel vmounted on .each shaft, a

drive means mounted on the tamper frame andconnected to said driving means of the firstframe and including'a pair of oppositely extendingshafts, a sprocket Wheel on each of said oppositely extending shafts and adapted to vreceive said chainsvthereover, and means ,for maintainingsaid Chains taut at all times Whereby said differential driving meansand said means .for maintainingthe chains'taut are adapted to maintain a. Constant and equal drivingpressure upon each of said segmentall clutc'h elements.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name this lthday of February, A. D. 1928.

AUGUSTUS J. PENOTE.

-6. Atamper,machine,comprising a vehicu i I I -lar frame includingfabase anda pair of for- Wardly 'inclinedmasts rigi'dlyl mounted upon ,the -rear end of .said base, driving means mounted oni-the forwardend of'sald frame,

a tamper frame mounted upon'said masts and zeXtend-ing .rearwardly'rtherefrom a'tamper i i bar mounted forverticalreciprocationinfisaid tamper frame, transverse parallelfshafts rotatably mounted in-said tamper frame at the opposi'tesides of said tamber bar, a pair of segmental Clutchz elements vmounted ,on said shaftlforr engagement with the opposite sides ,of-said-;baiy a sprocketand Chain mechanism foreach of said shafts, adjusting means for :saidshafts 'operable' lengthwise ofthe frame,

and differential vdrive `mechanism connected tothe drvingfmeans atfthe forward end of 'the yframeand connected ,to `bothof'said `sprocket .and chainmechanisms `.for maintainying v a ,Constant and 7equal 'driving' pressure vuponsaid segmental Clutch elements.

"L7, A; tamper;machine, Comprising a Vehic- ;ularfr-ame, drivng means mounted on the frame,.a tamper frame carried by the first frame, a tamper bar mounted for Vertical reciprocationinthe tamper frame, a pair of segmental Clutch elements mounted in .the

tamper-;frame lat opposite sidesof said bar, i a shaft ,for each segmental `clutchA elements, 

